Rock Candy
by AngieT
Summary: Pippin has a mishap.


"So, Pippin are you going to tell me what happened, or do I have to guess?" Merry looked with exasperation down at his small cousin

"It's my tooth," said Pippin waving said article as near to under Merry's nose as he could reach.

"I can see that," Merry shied back slightly from the small and faintly bloody object nesting in Pippin's pocket-handkerchief.

"If I put it under my pillow I will get a coin from the Tooth Elf,"

Merry sighed. Pippin had been in the middle of a 10-day stay in Buckland when he had started to complain of a wobbly tooth. He had spent the next two days jamming his fingers into his mouth to pull on it, or with his face constantly contorted as he stuck his tongue against it.

"It feels funny!" he complained when anyone tried to stop him. Mealtimes were becoming a bit of a trial. Merry already had all his second set of teeth through and so was not very sympathetic, especially s it was he would had to sit next to Pippin at mealtimes and put up with his gyrations, and the views thus offered of half masticated food.

They had tried to solve the problem themselves. Merry had attempted the sure fire bit-of-string-round-a-door-knob and then slam the door, but Pippin would always shriek and leap forward at the wrong moment and crash into the door himself. " But what if it HURTS!" he had whimpered.

They tried sneaking into the smithy to borrow some pincers but could not find any small enough to fit into Pippin's mouth; which surprised Merry considering the amount of food which Pippin seemed able to cram into said orifice, and the amount of chatter which could come out of it. They did try the sugar tongs but got caught by Aunty Antirrhinum who had a total fit at them for unhygienic habits. The final resort was to ask cook to mix up a batch of her rock cakes but even they did not do the trick.

Merry had come very close to suggesting knocking it out for Pippin but decided he had better not. So, to offer a distraction he had suggested a trip into town.

They had been in town; more specifically they had been stood with their noses pressed to the window of "Underhill's Emporium. Finest Purveys of Confectionary to the Discerning," for about a half hour now. The little shop had only been open a few weeks and had caused something of a stir in Buckland. Once the words about the door had been translated to mean 'Sweet shop' it had become very popular.

The shelves of Underhill's were a positive treasure trove of everything sweet and sticky. There was Elf Rainbow Powder, Goblin Gob Stoppers, Sweet Pipeweed twists, Wizard Toffees, Dwarf Jewel Gums, Liquorish Spider Legs, and Dragon Fire Sticks which came with a small bag of Elf Rainbow Powder to dip them into.

Merry had made him self thoroughly sick the very day his pocket money had been paid out and as a result had been banned from the shop. His mother threatening him with dire consequences should one Sugar Mouse be found upon his person.

He now stood with Pippin raised in his arms so that the younger hobbit could see into the window. His arms were starting to ache as it took Pippin a long time to look at everything.

"Can we go in?" Pip had asked.

Merry hesitated. His parents had said nothing about him going in; he was forbidden to buy or to eat any of the goods but he could still, technically, go in. Taking Pip by the hand Merry pushed open the door and set of the little tinkling bell which warned Mr Underhill of new customers.

"Good afternoon Master Brandybuck," said the hobbit behind the counter. Merry blushed. Instead of Mr Underhill he was presented with his comely daughter, Orangeblossom. Orangeblossom had big blue eyes in a freckled face, lots of softly curling red brown hair, and a twinkely smile which made Merry's insides feel funny.

"Hello," Merry managed as he suppressed and urge to run from the shop.

"What can I do for you today?" Orangeblossom asked leaning over the counter and giving Merry an eyeful of her namesake, embroidered round the edge of her bodice.

"Wheer.." said Merry mesmerised.

"We've got some new marshmallow cushions in today," she continued on. "Or you might like the rabbit droppings."

That got through. "The what?"

Orangeblossom giggled. "They are small bits of fruit in some new soft sweet. They came from Laketown." She reached down a jar from the shelf behind her and rattled it at Merry. Indeed the jar, which was labelled, "Chocolate Raisins" did appear to contain rabbit droppings and Merry giggled. Orangeblossoms giggle made him feel rather hot and bothered and bits of her jiggled nicely as her chest heaved.

"Well, if you don't fancy those, we have dragon eye ball lolly pops, they change colour as you suck them."

"No thanks," Merry said. "I only came to bring Pip to look round."

Orangeblossom looked over Merry's shoulder. "Then where is he now?"

"What? He was right…" Merry turned a full circle but the little shop appeared to be empty of small hobbit lads. "Where did he go?"

"Well, I didn't hear the bell again so he must be in here somewhere," Orangeblossom reasoned. "There's only the store room behind… but .. Oh no!" She classed a hand to her amble bosom.

"What?" Merry gasped.

"The only thing back there is a crate of Dwarf Rock Candy."

"What's wrong with that?"

"It's made of real rocks!"

"OW!" came a cry. "Merry!"

the end


End file.
